Easy Don Garment

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to adaptive clothing, more specifically to an innovative underwear that incorporates a semi-rigid support hoop in the leg openings to facilitate the process of dressing for individuals with disabilities, diseases, or other impairments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a high demand for underwear featuring semi-rigid support hoops in the leg openings, designed to ease the dressing process for individuals with disabilities, diseases, or other impairments.

The mechanical aspects of dressing present significant challenges for individuals with disabilities and/or diseases. Traditional clothing designs require the insertion of limbs through specific openings, a task that can be particularly difficult for those with physical impairments.

Adaptive clothing aims to alleviate these challenges by simplifying the dressing process. Various conditions, including disabilities, diseases, nerve damage, or loss of motor control, can complicate dressing. For example, peripheral neuropathy can damage sensory or motor nerves, often affecting the feet and resulting in poor balance, reduced ankle flexibility, or the inability to point the toes, thereby complicating the process of donning undergarments. Therefore, there is a need to develop a garment that addresses these issues.

The present invention aims to address these issues associated with conventional devices by introducing an innovative garment that not only offers high levels of performance but also incorporates additional problem-solving features.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form, that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this summary intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

The present invention provides an adaptive underwear design that incorporates a plastic support ring sewn into the leg openings, thereby simplifying the insertion of the feet through the garment. This design addresses the difficulties posed by conventional underwear, which typically have leg openings that lie flat and are not supported in an open position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention showing the installation of the support ring.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the garment of FIG. 1, taken along section line A-A and showing the internal support ring.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the garment of FIG. 1 without the access points, taken along section line A-A and showing the internal support ring.

FIG. 5 is an illustration depicting one embodiment of the present invention, showing a user donning the garment of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim limitation found herein and/or issuing here from that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term-differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims found herein and/or issuing here from. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

Overview

The present invention pertains to adaptive clothing, specifically an innovative underwear design that integrates a semi-rigid support hoop within the leg openings. This feature facilitates the dressing process for individuals with disabilities, diseases, or other physical impairments by maintaining the leg openings in an open position, simplifying foot insertion, and reducing the risk of tripping or snagging.

The present invention discloses various embodiments of an article of clothing comprising underwear, briefs, shorts, pants, Capris, or socks. In one embodiment, a semi-rigid support hoop is sewn into the leg openings or foot openings of the garment to facilitate the placement of the user's feet when donning the garment. In another embodiment, the underwear includes a semi-rigid support ring made of plastic, rubber or metal sewn into the leg openings. In further embodiments, the underwear comprises a semi-rigid support hoop that provides a mechanical structure to hold open the fabric at the leg openings, or a circular and flexible mechanical support hoop that adjusts to the diameter of the user's leg via an expandable action. Additionally, the underwear may include a mechanical support hoop with overlapping, unconnected ends that function to create an expandable hoop, or a mechanical support hoop that may be permanently sewn into the garment or can be easily removed to assist in washing the garment. In other variations, the underwear has an elastic fabric sewn into the leg openings to form an open path through which a semi-rigid support hoop may pass, or a semi-rigid support ring made of a plastic, rubber or metal structure that passes through an elastic channel sewn into the leg openings.

The present invention significantly improves adaptive clothing by addressing the challenges faced during the dressing process. The semi-rigid support hoop in the leg openings offers a practical solution that enhances ease of use, safety, and comfort. This design has the potential to greatly improve the quality of life for many individuals, enabling them to dress more independently and confidently.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the present invention provides a garment 100 comprising: a body 10 and a support ring 40.

It is to be understood that the body 10 of the present invention may comprise any suitable garment configuration, and is not limited solely to an underwear garment. In various alternative embodiments, the body 10 may include other types of garments, such as pants, socks, or other similar clothing articles.

The support ring 40 may be configured as a thin ring-shaped structure fabricated from a suitable material.

The body 10 may include a substantially tubular shape and configured to at least partially surround a torso of a user.

In preferred embodiment, the body 10 comprises at least one channel 20 placed on the body 10, wherein the channel includes a top, a bottom, an inner face, and an outer face between the top and the bottom, wherein the channel 20 may include at least one access point 30. The channel 20 defines a circumferentially elongated slot configured to accommodate passage of the support ring 40.

It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the access point 30 may be a hole of any desired shape. In certain embodiments, the access point 30 may be a closed hole that is stitched, and is not visible or exposed outside of the body 10. In these embodiments, the body 10 can be a continuous body that does not show or reveal the presence of the access point 30. In the final assembled state, the finished product may not visibly display or reveal the presence of an access point opening.

In one embodiment, the channel 20 may include one or more elastic bands.

The support ring 40 can be placed between the inner face and the outer face. This support ring 40 has two end sections that overlap. The support ring 40 can be inserted through the access point or, in some embodiment, positioned in an open channel 20. After the support ring 40 is in place, the channel 20 can be closed by sewing the inner face and the outer face together.

This configuration is achieved by inserting the support ring 40 into the body 10 through the access point 30.

In some embodiments, the body 10 may comprise a first leg portion 10a and a second leg portion 10b substantially parallel to the first leg portion 10a, the first and second leg portions 10a and 10b extending toward a first end 10c of the body 10. The body 10 can be any underwear known in the art.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, the first leg portion 10a comprises a first channel 20a knit into/attached to the first leg portion 10a at the first end 10c of the body 10, and wherein the second leg portion 10a comprises a second channel 20b knit into/attached to the second leg portion 10b at the first end 10c of the body 10. In some embodiments, the body (underwear garment) 10 may include a waistband 50 attached to the body 10 at a second end (waist area) 10d of the body 10 opposite the first end (bottom edge of the garment) 10c. The first leg portion 10a and the second leg portion 10b comprise an aperture 55 configured to allow passage of a user's leg as shown in FIG. 3.

In some embodiments, the first leg portion 10a and the second leg portion 10b may include at least one tubular aperture 55.

The support ring 40 may be constructed from any appropriate material capable of providing support to the opening of the aperture 55, such as plastic and comparable materials.

In some embodiments, the support ring 40 may include a rectangular shape.

In some other embodiments, the support ring 40 may comprises a pointed end.

In some other embodiments, the support ring 40 may comprises a rounded end, so as to prevent the ends of the hoop from catching into the fabric that surrounds them during the sliding action.

The primary material for the body (underwear) 10 is a comfortable, stretchable fabric, such as cotton, spandex, or a blend of similar materials. This ensures that the garment 100 is both comfortable and flexible, accommodating various body shapes and sizes.

In some embodiments, elastic bands can be sewn into the waistband 50 and leg openings 10c of the underwear 100. These elastic bands may provide the necessary stretch and fit to hold the underwear 100 securely in place on the wearer's body.

The Support Ring (Semi-Rigid Support Hoop) 40:

The key innovative component of the present invention can be the support ring 40, which is integrated into the leg openings 10c of the body 10. As described above the support ring (hoop) 40 is made from a flexible yet rigid material such as plastic (e.g., nylon), rubber or metal or any other similar material.

In one embodiment, the support ring (hoop) 40 has a diameter of approximately 2 mm and is designed to be flexible to expand and contract, allowing it to fit various leg sizes comfortably. In some embodiment, the material itself may not be flexible.

The ends of the support ring (hoop) 40 may overlap but are not connected, enabling them to slide past each other and adjust to the user's thigh diameter. The ends overlap and slide past each other to simulate a stretch action along the length of the hoop as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

In one embodiment, the support ring (semi-rigid support hoop) 40 is sewn into the elastic band of each leg opening 10c. The support ring 40 is positioned such that it forms a circular or oval shape within the fabric, holding the leg opening 55 in an open position.

The support ring 40 is not connected end-to-end, allowing the ends to overlap and slide past each other. This feature provides the necessary flexibility for the support ring 40 to expand and contract according to the wearer's leg size.

The elastic bands at the leg openings 55 can be designed to work in conjunction with the support ring 40. The elastic bands may provide the stretch needed for a secure fit, while the support ring 40 maintains the opening 55 in an expanded state for ease of foot insertion.

The primary advantage of the present invention is the ease of dressing it provides. The support ring 40 holds the leg openings 55 in an open position, allowing individuals to easily insert their feet without the need for excessive bending or maneuvering.

This feature is particularly beneficial for individuals with limited mobility, poor balance, or conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, which can affect motor control and sensory perception.

By maintaining the leg openings 55 in an open position, the invention assists in the placement of a foot through a garment's openings and reduces the likelihood of toes getting caught in the fabric, which can lead to tripping and falling. This is a significant safety feature for individuals with disabilities or balance issues.

The overlapping ends of the support ring 40 allow it to expand and contract as needed, providing a comfortable and adjustable fit for various leg sizes. This ensures that the garment (underwear) 100 can accommodate a wide range of body types without compromising on comfort or functionality.

The materials used for the support ring 40 and the elastic bands can be chosen for their durability and comfort. The support ring 40 is designed to withstand repeated use without losing its shape or functionality, while the elastic bands can ensure a snug yet comfortable fit.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.